Earth Day Network

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Earth Day Network’s mission is to broaden and diversify the environmental movement worldwide and to mobilize it as the most effective vehicle to build a healthy, sustainable environment, address climate change, and protect the Earth for future generations.

Earth Day Network’s Earth Day 2018 theme is Ending Plastic Pollution. When we think of plastic pollution, we typically think of harmed sea turtles and litter on the streets, but the impacts of plastic pollution truly reach all aspects of life, even human health.

Chemicals leached from some plastics used in food/beverage storage are potentially harmful to human health. Correlations have been shown between levels of some of these chemicals in the blood stream, and an increased risk of health issues such as cancer, early puberty, obesity, chromosomal and reproductive system abnormalities, and impaired brain and neurological functions.

Many plastics contain Bisphenol-A (BPA), a hormone disrupting chemical. First found in 1891, BPA has been used in the production of thousands of consumer products from food packaging to toys and healthcare equipment. If food or drinks are stored in these plastics, they can be contaminated. If food is microwaved in these containers chemicals like BPA can make their way into the food and into our bodies.

It is hard to prove whether BPA has a direct causal link with the diseases cited above, because many other chemicals are also suspected to be the culprit. However, studies keep emerging which contribute to a more complete picture of the situation. Meanwhile, the production and consumption of plastic continues to grow and is expected to triple in the next 20 years.

No international standard exists about the use of BPA in food containers and its impact on human health, but several countries are taking matters into their own hands. The European Food Security Authority took precautionary measures by listing BPA as ‘a substance of high concern.’ In 2016 Sweden banned the use of BPA in epoxy resins in water pipe linings. France has gone even further, banning the use of BPA in all packaging, containers and utensils that come into direct contact with food. Regardless, the United States Food and Drug Administration declared in a report in February 2018 that BPA is safe for food packaging. In reaction, scientists, environmental organizations, healthcare professionals, and consumer organizations strongly criticized this decision as reported in Mother Jones, raising the alarm about the use of BPA in food related products.

While more evidence is developed, companies that sell food products packaged in plastic can take the initiative to inform consumers about BPA used in food packaging, or by eliminating the use of BPA in plastic packaging material all together.

Avoid microwaving food in plastic. If microwaving food in plastic is unavoidable, then pay attention to the recycling codes at the bottom of the container. Avoid any that have the code 3 or 7. The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service advisesAmericans not to reuse margarine tubs, take-out containers, whipped topping bowls, and other one-time use containers, which are more likely to melt and cause chemicals to leach into food. And it’s not just some plastic containers; it’s most. An analysis of 455 common plastic products, including supposedly BPA-free ones, found that 70% tested positive for estrogenic activity; that number went up to 95% when the plastics were microwaved. BPA is a major ingredient in polycarbonate plastics, normally labeled with recycling number 7. While polypropylene and polyethylene plastics, marked with product codes 1, 2 and 5, appear safer, says Frederick vom Saal, one of the world’s leading researchers on the ill health effects of BPA in humans and animals, they may still contain BPA, because polycarbonate is often combined with other plastics, although it may not be listed on the label.

While you’re going through your plastic containers, consider also tossing any that are scratched or damaged. They might be a leaching risk.

Consider switching to glass containers in your kitchen. Most glass containers are microwave-safe, dishwasher-safe, do not stain and last for a long time.

3. Skip canned goods when possible: The plastic lining the inside of your bean or soup can could be made with BPA. Some companies use BPA-free cans which are labeled. Outside of those labeled cans, choose fresh produce whenever possible or look for food products packaged in other materials.

4. Do not handle receipts: The special thermal paper used to print credit card receipts or vendor machine receipts also contains BPA. Simply touching a receipt allows your skin to absorb the BPA. Avoid asking for or picking up those receipts to evade exposure.

If you’re interested in learning more about the real harm plastic causes to our lives and to our planet, and to find out how you can stop contributing to this problem, be sure to check out our Plastic Pollution Primer and Action Toolkit. It is full of valuable information and resources to help you join the cause of ending plastic pollution.

Edna Adan Hospital to Receive Renewable Energy System to Power Facility

Washington D.C., March 15, 2018: Earth Day Network (EDN) and ImpactPPA (IPP) today announced that they have entered into an agreement to promote the use of clean renewable energy around the world.

In their first project together, IPP and EDN will provide a renewable energy system to the Edna Adan Hospital in Hargeisa, Somaliland. The hospital provides maternity care and treatment to over 21,000 women throughout Africa.

The health of the people of Somaliland is among the worst in the world. One in eleven children die in infancy and, every year, nearly 4,000 women die in childbirth. Founded as a maternity hospital 15 years ago, the Edna Adan Hospital treats obstetrical, surgical and pediatric cases, and provides training for health professionals as well as free treatment to many patients who need special surgery.

The hospital is a non-profit built by Edna Adan Ismail who returned to her homeland, Somaliland after retirement from the World Health Organization to help address grave health problems that endanger the lives of women and children across the Horn of Africa.

The new energy system, expected to be up and running by August 2018, will power the hospital’s equipment, dramatically reducing electricity costs. Those saving will go directly back into patient care and services.

“When we started working with EDN, we were looking for a project in which human lives would directly benefit from access to clean energy. The Edna Adan Hospital project does just that” said Dan Bates, President of ImpactPPA. “The developing world needs access to clean energy. Using the blockchain we can now generate power and track the energy from generation through to consumption and payment on a transparent and trusted platform.”

“I am grateful and honored to have been chosen by Earth Day Network and ImpactPPA. The gift of clean energy will benefit our work at the hospital and greatly increase available resources for the women who so desperately need our help,” said Edna Adan.

EDN and IPP hope to replicate similar projects across the world, with the goal of “50 by 50”— 50 projects completed by the 50th anniversary of Earth Day in by 2020.

“Edna Adan’s work has been an inspiration to all of us and has been the impetus for Earth Day Network to join with ImpactPPA to directly improve the lives of so many” said Kathleen Rogers, president of Earth Day Network. “This initiative will not only showcase technology but have a real, quantifiable, impact on people all over the world who need clean energy. Clean accessible energy can provide a critical lifeline to life saving care.”

About Earth Day Network

Earth Day Network’s mission is to diversify, educate and activate the environmental movement worldwide. Growing out of the first Earth Day, Earth Day Network is the world’s largest recruiter to the environmental movement, working with more than 50,000 partners in nearly 200 countries to build environmental democracy. More than 1 billion people now participate in Earth Day activities each year, making it the largest civic observance in the world. www.earthday.org

The billions upon billions of items of plastic waste choking our oceans, lakes, and rivers and piling up on land is more than unsightly and harmful to plants and wildlife. Plastic Pollution is a very real and growing threat to human health.

The following 10 facts shed light on how plastic is proving dangerous to human health. To learn more about the threat and impact of plastic pollution and get tips to reduce your plastic consumption, download our Plastic Pollution Primer and Toolkit today!

FACT #1

A National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey produced by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention concluded that BPA was found in 93% of urine samples taken from people above the age of six.[1]

FACT #2

Bisphenol A[2] also known as BPA, used to make billions of plastic beverage containers, dinnerware, protective linings of food cans and toys, is considered an endocrine disruptor, meaning it can both decrease or increase endocrine activity in humans and cause adverse health effects.[3]

FACT #3

Based on the weight of existing evidence, it is likely that elevated urinary BPA levels are associated with prostate cancer in humans and may be an independent diagnostic marker in prostate cancer patients.[4]

FACT #5

Some animal studies have indicated adverse effects of BPA on newborns and fetuses.[5]

FACT #6

Breast milk of most women in the developed world contains dozens of compounds including BPA that have been linked to negative health effects.[6]

FACT #7

Growing literature links many Phthalates[7], which are a group of chemicals used to make plastics more flexible and harder to break, with a variety of adverse outcomes including weight gain and insulin resistance, decreased levels of sex hormones, and other consequences for the human reproductive system both for females and males.[8]

FACT #8

When food is wrapped in plastic containing BPA, phthalates may leak into the food. Any migration is likely to be greater when in contact with fatty foods such as meats and cheeses than with other foods.[9]

FACT #9

In general, it is not recommended to heat food in plastic containers with the codes 3 and 7. The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service advises Americans not to reuse margarine tubs, take-out containers, whipped topping bowls, and other one-time use containers, which are more likely to melt and cause chemicals to leach into food.[10]

FACT #10

The label BPA-free in a container of bottle doesn’t mean a product is free from other harmful chemical compounds that are slightly different but have a different name. [11]

[2] Bisphenol A (BPA) is used to manufacture polycarbonate plastics. This type of plastic is used to make some, compact disks, impact-resistant safety equipment, and automobile parts. BPA epoxy resins are used in the protective linings of food cans, in dental sealants, and in other products. General exposure to BPA at low levels comes from eating food or drinking water stored in containers that have BPA. Small children may be exposed by hand-to-mouth and direct oral (mouth) contact with materials containing BPA. Dental treatment with BPA-containing sealants also results in short-term exposure. In addition, workers who manufacture products that contain BPA can be exposed. Centers for Disease Control, www.cdc.gov/biomonitoring/BisphenolA_FactSheet.html

[7] Phthalates are a group of chemicals used to make plastics more flexible and harder to break. They are often called plasticizers. Some phthalates are used as solvents (dissolving agents) for other materials. They are used in hundreds of products, such as vinyl flooring, adhesives, detergents, lubricating oils, automotive plastics, plastic clothes (raincoats), and personal-care products (soaps, shampoos, hair sprays, and nail polishes). Phthalates are used widely in polyvinyl chloride plastics, which are used to make products such as plastic packaging film and sheets, garden hoses, inflatable toys, blood-storage containers, medical tubing, and some children’s toys. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, www.cdc.gov/biomonitoring/Phthalates_FactSheet.html

April 22, 1970 marked the birth of the modern-day environmental movement, with the first Earth Day inspiring and uniting millions to stand up and take action to protect our planet. Five years later, March 8, 1975 marked another critical moment in activist history, with the United Nations’ official recognition of International Women’s Day.

Much like the road that led to the first Earth Day, the fight to recognize the rights and contributions of women around the planet was long and tumultuous, with a history rooted and fueled by empowerment, mobilization and activism.

Today, women in leadership roles–whether in corporate, nonprofit, government, education, or community arenas–increasingly prove to be among our planet’s greatest allies and advocates. Earth Day Network is proud to recognize these tremendous contributions through our Women and the Green Economy (WAGE) Leadership Award, given our annual Climate Leadership Gala. The WAGE Leadership Award is dedicated to women who act as role models, paving the way for future generations, while simultaneously working to accelerate the green economy.

Our most recent honoree in 2017 was organic food pioneer, chef and author, Nora Pouillon.
Nora opened the first ever certified organic restaurant in the United States of America. On top of her work supporting the organic food movement, Nora champions for a cleaner environment, and now even serves as a member of Earth Day Network’s board of directors.

Earth Day Network would like to take this moment as an opportunity to thank these past honorees and for their incredible efforts towards accelerating the green economy, while also encouraging young women across the world: you can make change too.

While the state of our environment is often daunting, it is the work of extraordinary women all across the world that keeps us hopeful here at Earth Day Network.

Earth Day Network strives to act as a platform to not only empower women, but to also honor their continual efforts towards manifesting change After all, “empowered women empower women.”

Plastic pollution is killing our planet! It’s choking our oceans, poisoning our food and water supply, and wreaking havoc on the health and well-being of humans and wildlife worldwide

Use these ten shocking facts about the scope of plastic pollution to educate, inspire and mobilize your friends, family, coworkers and community to join the movement to END PLASTIC POLLUTION this Earth Day.

FACT #1

8.3 BILLION Metric Tons (9.1 BILLION US Tons) of plastic has been produced since plastic was introduced in the 1950s.[1] The amount of plastic produced in a year is roughly the same as the entire weight of humanity. [2]

FACT #2

Virtually every piece of plastic that was ever made still exists in some shape or form (with the exception of the small amount that has been incinerated).[3]

FACT #3

91% of plastic isn’t recycled. And since most plastics don’t biodegrade in any meaningful sense, all that plastic waste could exist for hundreds or even thousands of years.[4]

FACT #4

500 MILLION plastic straws are used EVERY DAY in America. That’s enough to circle the Earth twice.[5]

FACT #5

Nearly TWO MILLION single-use plastic bags are distributed worldwide every minute.

FACT #6

100 BILLION plastic bags are used by Americans every year. Tied together, they would reach around the Earth’s equator 773 times![6]

FACT #7

ONE MILLION plastic bottles are bought EVERY MINUTE around the world — and that number will top half a TRILLION by 2021. Less than half of those bottles end up getting recycled.[7]

FACT #8

8 MILLION TONS of plastic winds up in our oceans each year. That’s enough trash to cover every foot of coastline around the world with five full trash bags of plastic…compounding every year. [8]

FACT #9

There is more microplastic in the ocean than there are stars in the Milky Way.[9]

FACT #10

If plastic production isn’t curbed, plastic pollution with outweigh fish pound for pound by 2050.[10]

Earth Day Network, the organization that leads Earth Day worldwide, today announced that Earth Day 2018 will focus on mobilizing the world to End Plastic Pollution, including creating support for a global effort to eliminate single use plastics along with uniform regulation for the disposal of plastics. EDN will educate millions of people about the health and other risks associated with the use and disposal of plastics, including pollution of our oceans, water, and wildlife, and about the growing body of evidence that decomposing plastics are creating serious global health problems.

From poisoning and injuring marine life to the ubiquitous presence of plastics in our food to disrupting human hormones and causing major life-threatening diseases and early puberty, the exponential growth of plastics is threatening our planet’s survival. EDN has built a multi-year campaign to End Plastic Pollution. Our goals include ending single use plastics, promoting alternatives to fossil fuel-based materials, promoting 100 percent recycling of plastics, corporate and government accountability and changing human behavior concerning plastics.

“There is a growing tidal wave of interest in ending plastic pollution and some countries and governments are already in the vanguard. Earth Day Network believes we can turn that tidal wave into a permanent solution to plastics pollution,” said Kathleen Rogers, President of EDN.

EDN’s End Plastic Pollution campaign includes five major components:

Leading a grassroots movement to support the adoption of a global framework to regulate plastic pollution;

Educating, mobilizing and activating citizens across the globe to demand that governments and corporations control and clean up plastic pollution;

Educating people worldwide to take personal responsibility for plastic pollution by choosing to reject, reduce, reuse and recycle plastics, and

Promoting local government regulatory and other efforts to tackle plastic pollution.

Earth Day Network will leverage the platform of Earth Day and the growing interest in the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day in 2020 as a catalyst for global action.

“We will mobilize our global network of NGOs, grassroots organizations, campus youth, mayors and other local elected leaders, faith leaders, artists and athletes, and students and teachers to build a world of educated consumers, voters and activists of all ages who understand the environmental, climate and health consequences of using plastic,” said Rogers.

As a parent and climate activist, I’ve thought a lot about the climate that future generations will inherit. I grew up expecting my children would enjoy the same beautiful and fascinating world as I’ve had. That vision of the future has been drowning in floods, going up in flames, and blowing away in hurricanes. Even beautiful Yosemite National Park is nothing like it was when I took my fiancée there thirty-five years ago. Forests we enjoyed have died or burned, and new species of trees and animals are taking up residence. I hoped my children’s environment would not get too much worse if my generation reduced our carbon emissions. This idea came from what I now call a “mitigation consciousness”.

Over time, it has become clear that mitigation, or acting to reduce the severity of climate change, will not protect the world as we know it. As I came to terms with this fact, I asked myself, “What kind of future can we give our children now?” Exploring the answer to that question left me feeling hopeless. I went through the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. That experience has given me compassion for others as I witness their denial and anger.

When we lose something, our brains need time and compassion to create a new narrative for the world without it. For me, the grieving process made me realize that my generation could restore a healthy climate to pass along to our children. A new “restoration consciousness” emerged.

A new possible future grows more vivid the more my community shares it. Now that we’re focused on giving our children the same climate we inherited, solutions that can achieve that goal capture our attention. Once we developed this new restoration consciousness, viable solutions appeared. The solutions had existed for years, but they had been invisible within the old mitigation scenario.

Climate mitigation consciousness is an artifact of denial, anger, and bargaining. At this point, no amount of mitigation will bring back the climate of the past. No amount of blame toward companies or regulators will refreeze the Arctic. But the actions from a new consciousness will.

Restoring the climate is a new story, a new consciousness. It is a narrative of restoring the climate with a stable sea level, healthy coral reefs, resilient polar ice, and normal weather patterns.

Even when we restore the climate, the world will look different. Sea level will be higher, but not too much. Some species will have gone extinct, but not too many. It will be different, but it could even be better. Now is the time to stop lamenting what we’ve lost, and commit to restoring the climate for our children.

Peter Fiekowsky is the Founder and President of the Healthy Climate Alliance and co-founder of 300×2050.com. He is an entrepreneur committed to leaving a world we’re proud of for our children. Founder and president of AVI LLC. Board member of Repower Capital Inc. MIT physicist with 27 patents.

As a parent and climate activist, I’ve thought a lot about the climate that future generations will inherit. I grew up expecting my children would enjoy the same beautiful and fascinating world as I’ve had. That vision of the future has been drowning in floods, going up in flames, and blowing away in hurricanes. Even beautiful Yosemite National Park is nothing like it was when I took my fiancée there thirty-five years ago. Forests we enjoyed have died or burned, and new species of trees and animals are taking up residence. I hoped my children’s environment would not get too much worse if my generation reduced our carbon emissions. This idea came from what I now call a “mitigation consciousness”.

Over time, it has become clear that mitigation, or acting to reduce the severity of climate change, will not protect the world as we know it. As I came to terms with this fact, I asked myself, “What kind of future can we give our children now?” Exploring the answer to that question left me feeling hopeless. I went through the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. That experience has given me compassion for others as I witness their denial and anger.

When we lose something, our brains need time and compassion to create a new narrative for the world without it. For me, the grieving process made me realize that my generation could restore a healthy climate to pass along to our children. A new “restoration consciousness” emerged.

A new possible future grows more vivid the more my community shares it. Now that we’re focused on giving our children the same climate we inherited, solutions that can achieve that goal capture our attention. Once we developed this new restoration consciousness, viable solutions appeared. The solutions had existed for years, but they had been invisible within the old mitigation scenario.

Climate mitigation consciousness is an artifact of denial, anger, and bargaining. At this point, no amount of mitigation will bring back the climate of the past. No amount of blame toward companies or regulators will refreeze the Arctic. But the actions from a new consciousness will.

Restoring the climate is a new story, a new consciousness. It is a narrative of restoring the climate with a stable sea level, healthy coral reefs, resilient polar ice, and normal weather patterns.

Even when we restore the climate, the world will look different. Sea level will be higher, but not too much. Some species will have gone extinct, but not too many. It will be different, but it could even be better. Now is the time to stop lamenting what we’ve lost, and commit to restoring the climate for our children.

Peter Fiekowsky is the Founder and President of the Healthy Climate Alliance and co-founder of 300×2050.com. He is an entrepreneur committed to leaving a world we’re proud of for our children. Founder and president of AVI LLC. Board member of Repower Capital Inc. MIT physicist with 27 patents.

Earth Day Network now works with over 50,000 partners in 196 countries to broaden, diversify and mobilize the environmental movement and more than one billion people participate each year in Earth Day. One of those countries, India, though challenged with many environmental problems, is also finding novel solutions. Earth Day Network, India, where we have an office, has created our latest eBook that showcases innovative ideas to green the country. Some are surprisingly from the past, and are being readopted.

Lattice screens made of stone, once common in Western India, are being incorporated into the walls of modern structures. As architects explain, these not only provide privacy, but also act as thermal buffers. The antibacterial limestone or “chunna” paint for walls has made a revival because it is now understood that it allows walls to breathe. Minarets as wind scoops, “baghs” or gardens around factories to help conserve biodiversity and build the green cover, recycling “kabaad” or discarded items to set up new buildings—all these and more are described in this eBook.

The environmentally-conscious company Tata Motors even cares about biodiversity. The natural environment developed and maintained by Tata Motors has native scrubland and dense plantation habitats, water bodies and manicured and landscaped areas. Within these are found varied flora, avian, reptile, fish, animal and Lepidoptera species.

While machines whirl inside, when you step out of the factory buildings, the senses are overwhelmed by the wondrous nature around. Plants flowering in different hues, such as the flamboyant Gulmohar; ones laden with fruit (the very special mangoes of Lucknow included); medicinal ones (the efficacious Neem for example) and many others. Cock your ear and you can hear birdsongs by the different avian species. Migratory birds fly in on brief visits. Others, for example the Black-crowned Night Heron, come to roost on the water’s edge. There are permanent avian residents as well. Stand still and you may even glimpse a jackal darting by, one of the many animals that have made this space their home.

We hope you are inspired by these innovations. Please download the eBook and feel free to share it with all those who care about our planet and value innovative solutions to climate change. Make everyday Earth Day in 2018 and see how you can carry out greening in your area.